“The Troops of the Microscopic Battlefield: Heroes or Enemies?”

Bacteria are at constant conflict with one another often competing for the very things humans do, such as territory, resources, and general survival. Wounds offer a battle ground for which many bacteria compete for survival. This talk will focus on applying our current day understanding of bacteria to wounds incurred during the American Civil War. We will review this era's application of “beneficial” bacteria or larger organisms to wounds in hopes to tip the scales in the microbial war. Ultimately the talk will shed light on the American Civil War story of the Angel’s glow at the Battle of Shiloh and the confederates ultimate befriending of fly larvae.